Abstract: A chargeable atomic battery (CAB) includes a plurality of CAB units and a CAB housing to hold the plurality of CAB units. Each of the CAB units are formed of a precursor compact including precursor material particles embedded inside an encapsulation material. The precursor material particles include a precursor kernel formed of a precursor material that is initially manufactured in a stable state and convertible into an activated material that is an activated state via atomic irradiation by a particle radiation source. Upon the precursor material being converted, the precursor material is in a partially depleted state such that an initial portion of the precursor material is depleted and a recharge portion of the precursor material is convertible into the activated state via atomic irradiation by the particle radiation source for recharging the chargeable atomic battery.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor core includes a plurality of fuel elements and a skewed-pin moderator block array of skewed-pin moderator blocks to form a nuclear reactor core inner portion and a nuclear reactor core outer portion. The nuclear reactor core inner portion includes an inner moderator matrix formed of a plurality of inner holes that include a plurality of inner fuel openings with one or more fuel elements disposed therein. The plurality of inner holes further include a plurality of inner coolant passages to flow a coolant. The nuclear reactor core outer portion includes an outer moderator matrix formed of a plurality of outer holes that include a plurality of outer fuel openings with one or more fuel elements disposed therein. The plurality of outer holes further include a plurality of outer coolant passages to flow the coolant. The inner holes are irregularly spaced with respect to the outer holes.

Abstract: An enhanced architecture for a nuclear reactor core includes several technologies: (1) nuclear fuel tiles (S-Block); and (2) a high-temperature thermal insulator and tube liners with a low-temperature solid-phase moderator (U-Mod) to improve safety, reliability, heat transfer, efficiency, and compactness. In S-Block, nuclear fuel tiles include a fuel shape designed with an interlocking geometry pattern to optimize heat transfer between nuclear fuel tiles and into a fuel coolant and bring the fuel coolant in direct contact with the nuclear fuel tiles. Nuclear fuel tiles can be shaped with discontinuous nuclear fuel lateral facets and have fuel coolant passages formed therein to provide direct contact between the fuel coolant and the nuclear fuel tiles. In U-Mod, tube liners with low hydrogen diffusivity retain hydrogen in the low-temperature solid-phase moderator even at elevated temperatures and the high-temperature thermal insulator insulates the solid-phase moderator from the nuclear fuel tiles.